Friday, November 16, 2012

When
kids learn to treat animals with gentleness and respect, they also
learn about compassion and caring on a larger scale, which are traits
that can later be applied to the relationships that they have with
fellow humans. For parents of toddlers and young children, imparting
these lessons can be a bit of a challenge; here are 10 ways to help your
little one understand the importance of treating animals well.

Set a Good Example – Children learn primarily
through mimicry. They watch their parents and other authority figures,
and then model their own behavior after their observances; one of the
best ways to instill a love of animals is to have that same love
yourself and to exhibit it often.

Research Local Programs – Your local Humane Society
chapter or other animal activism organization is likely to have a
program or two specifically directed at helping small children
understand the proper treatment of animals. A cursory glance at a local
message board or search engine results could net dozens of options.

Take Advantage of Story Time – Most kids love a
bedtime story, and there are tons of books on the market written with
this very subject in mind. A colorfully illustrated, well-written book
about animals and the humans that love them can do wonders for
explaining the concept of animal kindness to kids.

Teach Proper Handling of Small Animals – Helping a
child to properly hold and handle a small or newborn animal while
emphasizing the importance of being gentle is a great way to teach a
hands-on lesson about carefully handling animals and never being too
rough.

Visit a Petting Zoo – Spending an afternoon at the
petting zoo can be a fun and informative experience for kids of all
ages, but especially for little ones who wouldn’t ordinarily have the
opportunity to interact with such an interesting array of animals or
have access to professionals that are trained to help kids learn about
them.

Share Interesting Facts – Learning that baby goats
are also called “kids” or that butterflies taste with their feet not
only entertain children, but also help them to see that animals have
their own unique, interesting qualities.

Help at a Shelter – Taking a trip to your local
animal shelter to help walk the dogs, feed the cats or do other fun and
interactive chores not only makes a difference in your community, but
also in your child. It might be best to stick to a privately run no-kill
shelter or to be sure that no animals are scheduled to be euthanized
during your visit, however, to avoid a traumatic experience.

Study Local Wildlife – A trip to a local nature
preserve or national park not only provides kids with a day of
no-television fun, but can also help them understand the very important
concept that wild animals are not pets, but should be treated with the same respect.

Watch Kid-Friendly Television Programming – While
you might want to skip the program chronicling the antelopes’ encounter
with a hungry lion, there are plenty of kid-centric animal documentary
shows that can provide strong talking points and valuable information.

Get a Pet – After you’re certain that your child
understands the basic treatment of animals, introducing a pet into your
home is a great way to keep their education going. Even if you live in a
small space or urban environment that isn’t conducive to traditional
pets, a small hamster or a goldfish can still help give your child a
sense of responsibility.

Most small children need to be reminded to be gentle more than
anything else, as deliberate cruelty is quite rare in children so young.
Kids that show signs of harmful behavior might be struggling with a
larger issue. If this is the case the child’s pediatrician should be
consulted.
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